Granite Stone: Do’s and Don’ts
There’s no doubt about it; the use of natural stone is an excellent way to enrich the aesthetic appeal of your home whilst providing you with a multitude of benefits. Granite is one of the most popular natural stone materials for use in this application, and it comes as no surprise why. This material is rich in its unique, visual characteristics, and comes available in a versatile array of beautiful styles and colours, making it easy for homeowners to find a design that suits the theme of their home. Additionally, you can also count on granite countertops to provide functionality, durability, and longevity for the areas of home. Needless to say, if you’re looking for the perfect finishing touch to add to your kitchen or bathroom, granite natural stone is the best way to go.
Of course, once you’ve finally got your hands on your granite countertops, splashbacks, or flooring and walling, you’d want to take note of a few simple granite do’s and don’ts that will prove useful in ensuring that you can prolong the life of the natural stone through maintaining their goods looks and functional qualities in the right way.
Do’s
Clean with Gentle Soap & Warm Water
When cleaning your granite surface coverings, normally a pH neutral soap or dishwashing liquid and some warm water are enough to remove any dirt or grime resting on the top of the material. Alternatively, you can also choose to invest in a surface cleaner made specifically for use on granite natural stone.
Use Coasters
When you ensure to place your drinking glasses on coasters instead of the bare granite surface, you can prevent the chance of any ring stains forming on your countertops, especially if your glass contains alcohol or beverages high in acidity such as juice.
Blot Up Spills Immediately
It’s important to immediately remove any liquid spills that may fall onto your granite surface coverings, as granite contains tiny little pores which these liquids can seep into and become much more difficult to remove, often causing a stain. Just remember to blot these spills up instead of wiping them further into the pores of the stone material. This point leads us to our final ‘do’ for maintaining your granite countertops, splashbacks, walls and floors;
Regular Resealing
When you regularly reseal your natural stone surfaces, you can increase the amount of protection and resistance they have against stains, whilst also making them much easier to clean. Resealing is a relatively quick and straightforward process that need only be performed once every two to three years. If you find that your granite surface coverings are subjected to more frequent abuse however, you may even consider resealing them every 6 months to once a year.
Don’ts
Use Harsh Cleaning Products
The use of any harsh or acidic cleaning solution on granite natural stone is a big no no; whilst you may believe that the use of products such as Windex, bleach, or other multipurpose household cleaners will do a better job at thoroughly cleaning the surface of the material as opposed to water and soap, what it can actually do is strip the sealant off, making your granite countertops or splashbacks much more vulnerable to stains and corrosion.
Use Abrasive Cleaning Tools
The use of coarse cleansing tools such as scouring pads, rough sponges or harsh brushes are also highly discouraged. Instead, opt to gently remove dirt from your granite surface coverings with the use of a micro fibre cleaning cloth paired with some pH neutral dish soap. You’ll find that you won’t need to vigorously scrub your granite surface in order to keep it clean.
Apply Heavy Pressure
Whilst granite as a natural stone offers an excellent level of durability, we’d highly recommend refraining from placing extremely heavy items on top of your granite kitchen countertops frequently, as the weight could potentially lead to cracking.
Don’t Use a Cutting Board
It’s true that granite is resistant towards scratching, however if you’re an avid cook and find yourself frequently chopping up fruits and vegetables on the bare surface of your granite countertops, then we’d highly recommend opting for a cutting board instead, as the repeated use of a knife over the same area could potentially wear the sealant out. This would mean that you’d have to perform resealing even more so often.
When homeowners are looking for something to add to their abode and really tie the theme of their home up altogether, they invest in the highest quality granite Perth has to offer from Aurora Stone. You can trust in us for excellent quality natural stone products suitable for a range of applications. Call us today and our helpful team will be glad to answer any enquiries you may have!
